According to a Bloomberg report, the FBI redacted President Donald Trump’s name from Jeffrey Epstein-related documents using privacy exemptions, sparking backlash from Trump supporters and transparency advocates. Sources say the FBI’s FOIA review team applied Exemptions 6 and 7(C), which protect individuals from “unwarranted invasions of personal privacy,” even for high-profile public figures. Trump was considered a private citizen when the Epstein probe began in 2006.
Despite Trump’s campaign pledge to declassify Epstein-related files, the administration’s March “Epstein Files” release included no new material. Attorney General Pam Bondi later pressed the FBI for thousands of withheld pages. FOIA officers identified Trump and many public figures in the files, but redacted them during a labor-intensive review involving over 1,000 FBI personnel.
FBI FOIA chief Michael Seidel reportedly resisted the redactions and was forced out. The DOJ and FBI have since declared that “no further disclosure” is warranted. Trump’s base erupted in frustration, with critics like podcaster Joe Rogan calling it a cover-up. Trump has deflected blame onto Democrats and refused to authorize a waiver to release his name.
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